V
r
VOL. XLV.
MIFFLINTOWN. JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA.. WEDNESDAY. JANUARY 14. 1891.
NO. 4.
B. F. SOHW THE OON8TITUTION-THE UNION-AND THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAWS. Editor and Iroprtotor.
1
THE STAR CROtfX
lay to patient there, so calm. W'
It nfd a aia t0 wate i,er from tte iP,1
Vlioia mv,a0 dreunu did fcer tired aenac
atcep
In Lttbesn dews, nnd all her lf 411 .
"With Joy, as tf t-ea cow she heirJ Ue rin
Of angels' harps ecnie stea'hif o' the dceP
Whose unseen wars forertnrwa nd WCP
Around the balloted bsso of be0"' hlIL
Day went, auJ f.vi::-ht tirM. the case
" " meut 6to!e
And drew a sh.nlovrr r irtiln wand her bed,
And while wo watched tha pi"!D ot tn
SOUl
A star bant forth '-it eabfripirit fled,
And then we katw it lia'taJ reached her
goal,
And that her crown had Kd:cd on her head.
TI)reeDreaiiS.
In the fall of among the col.
lection of pain t luirs in the art room of
the great Mechlins' Exhibition in
Boston was 0:10 wii050 history only
three persons the particlpauta
in the mvsroi v kne"--
Tliis "picture, ensuring fire b
four, was an E.w cross, fomed
entirely of ivy a-J iiiies ; the iry was
to typify Chris: clinging to the cross,
and'the"Ea;:cr lilier, new life beyond.
The base was fontcd of lilies of the
Telley: to the rifht, representing the
two Marys, s:wd two callas, en
shrouded i:i rr.'ir, which had dripped
into a pojl beneath, reflecting the
stems and backs of the leaves of the
two callas weaning the tears which
laid bare the ijnate sufferings to the
gaze of a txnaltuous multitude.
"Who tha: pzid upon that wonder
ful reproduction of Nature as the
symbol ci Lfo cud death read the
artist's C:;c meaning? Yet such was
the ym'oj..CvJ ir.reut embodied in bei
thsme, a:.i whidi to Miss Cotton'i
richly iisrgiaavo conception was
unmistak&'o.e.
M;s C'::on wa an ideal painter of
the cli school, whoso unique little
studio w;.s readied. through the "City
of Colic.:." The broad effective
touch of the morlcrn school was ever
an eyesore to her studied flue touch-ud-ihl-h
icb.i of art.
Moreover, ILa Cotton cherished
Mr oli-school i.!;as as something too
artlike to bear improvirg upon, and
based her predilection for fine work
upon tin iiulispu:abie fact that there
v ere no "daubs" in Nature; "all
God's works are finely finished, and
be never hurries anything; all things
bead'.;t .'.I unfold by a gradual process ;"
and then, with a loving look at her fa
vorite canvas, "There's myMadonnal
I've sp'jn: more or less time upon that
for lu. e years, and now I see some
thing iu your eyes Jut stand where
you are, and don't wink a lid; now
I've caught it I'' And with a few slow
- ,'. a libt Rhdinsr
air, one sees at once tha very slightest
Change in the downward triance of
this Madonna of nine years' develop
ment; though far from recognizing
bow one's own eyes influenced the ar
tistic sense of subject.
How we all who were privileged to
be "received on Wednesdays" loved
the deal-, eccentric old lady! too well
even to be amused at her many eccen
tricities; and perhaps it was, there
fore, I ailowed myseif to be led into
what might have proven a dire mis
fortune to the grand old lady as re
gards this identical Lily Cross, which,
after having gained "a history," hunr
unconsciously enough among its fel
low pictures, and none knew how
doubly symbolical its meaning to
Life is rery strange, inde, in its
abrupt transitions, and thus it hap
pened that at twenty I was called from
alife of ;ural leisuj-s to take upon me
the responsibility of a thriving photo
graphic bsinpsS which death had
bereft of iu uianaging head; not to go
toto details, of which, suffice it to say,
that our dear Miss Cotton, always a
privileged patron cf this eame photo
gripliic studio, continued her patron
asre.i faithfully as ever, and many &
fantastic order for a poet head, a
Greek athlete or Xorse warrior, exe
cuted with patience and kindness,
which, later,' we saw finished in oil.
This process of doing in oil on albu
men prints was a rare knack which I
fancy but few artists are in the secret
of; and, which I fancv a favored re
cipient of many secrets of the dear old
genius out cf loving respect, and
bound thereto by many a row taken
on the blade of "her ""palette knife,"
which for fifty years or more had been
associated with more colors than
" heaven's arched bow of color" ever
bore to humnn eye must needs hold
still sacred. Thus it was that on the
day preceding the opening of the ex
hibition I received "a note from Misi
Cotton, desiring me to photograph her
" Lily Cros,'; ere it was hung in the
art room. Directions for placing,
lighting, etc. were given, and the copy
right secured to me.
Of course, as fancr and scenle pho
tography were not "in my line, the
copyright was a very pretty compli
ment which one accepted because of
the donor; and ever ready to favor
the whim of the dear soul, the picture
was sent f jr forthwith, and in due
time deposited under our "light," bat
too late f jr manipulation that night.
So with cautionary counsel to Fred,
one of the priutei-swho was accommo
dated with a led on the premises in
order to be on hand early enough to
make amends for tha shortening of
ucujsi'.ii,c sun-et end for pho
tographers no less than farmers must
"make hay while tha sun shines" I
surrendered the keeping of the "Lily
Cross" to his care, after surrounding
the ait treasure cf twelve months' labor
with screen? ;lud other protective para
phernalia of nu operating room, and
again reluming to impress the im
pcrtance of oar trust uooa the other
employe?, I kf ; tha studio. Keachiug
fcon5, change of scene brought other
thoughts, und as cuisine odors (if in
viting) are apt to obliterate care for
the time being, the thrall of collodion
and ammonia and other photographic
compounds subsided, and for the few
uner Lours preceding the unconscious
ness of sleep, my mind wa8 gpg,.
esscd of photographic technicalities.
Cf?n,ia bright with it
"range feelings cf apprehension.
C0,uldJaut understand, but the
one thought dominant was the "Lil,
2S destrov' M bUt to
Arriving at the studio at my turn
entered; all was ready for business,
but no one present, and silence every
where. I ascended to the various depart
ments, and at last found the whole
concourse of employes on the roof,
end Fred greets me with "The Lilr
Cross is gone, and I haven't left the
building since nino o'clock lavt night I
"We are looking for tracks
"Tracks' of what?" One nnswers,
"The cat who stole the canary? Come
down I Do you think any one, feline
or human, could remove "that picture
andyonnvt hear it?" This k Fred.
"And another reason, thev could not
do anythi.ig with it without being
instantly detected. This is very mya.
tcrioui Anything else gone?"
2fc t th? I can find," replied Fred,
in nerrous -hough honest anxiety, ran
saokU corners and cunboards and
boxes and cases: "no trace of othe
theft." An ofucer was sent for, who
appeared at once, and in true con
stabulary manner went to work, over
hauling poor Fred, and finding he had
"a dollar and a quarter" in his pockets,
he (the officer) laid so much stress on
the discovery that the operator sug
gested he evidently intended to prove
that Fred had bartered the picture "f o
Sve silver quarters!"
The mystery remained nns&lved.
and a busy day was more than half
spent, and I had been considering the
expedient of enforcing my morning's
note to Miss Cotton by a personal ex-
planatlon, when in walked that ladv
herself, calm, majestic and serene as
her own paintings.
"Now what have you done with my
Lily Cross?"' were her greeting
words, but not a tone or an expressior
9f reproach.
"Oh, Miss Cotton!" was aH on
ventured to say.
"ow don't you worry, my deir,
t's all right," aud she drew her lips
together iu a characteristically mytte
rious manner, and then in a whisper
imparted to a very willing enr, "J
dreamed something!"
"'Dreamed'? 'Why, I dreamed
something too let me think I was
so apprehensive on awakening this
moruiug" I replied in a ruminating
accent-
Did you? "Well, now, try to think
of it, dear. You know I have some
r..:.u i- .1.- ji -1 - n 1
faith la the power of the uninfluenced
sleeping mind to acquaint itself with
the object of its waking solicitude."
A moment's thought, and as if fc"
magic it all occurred to me.
"It seems I had started in a new bus
iness, and by an invention of my own,
which I was striving to keep secret, I
could by means of a strangely sei.si
tized plate and internally acting lens
photograph the conceptions of my mind
as fast as thev were formed! aud bv
this means the most beautiful ideal
subjects were produced, which I was
to sell to artists to cave then? ,
thought, the trouble of looking upi. iifo
sitters; and all these negatives, some
five hundred, I was storing in our
scene closet in the upper hall ! I thought
In going to this
closet with a number
of negatives, I opened the door and
found the whole closet occupied with
canvas stretchers, upon each of which
was outlined a woman's haud hoidiw
cross.
"It made me shiver, It ssmed so
suggestive of my own trying position,
and I fled back to the operating room,
which seemed flooded with sunlight so
blinding that in rubbing my eyes to re
move the effect, I awakened to find the
un aiming in and the clock striking
won.
"I did not not retain my dream, but
the feeling of apprehension which I
mentioned was explained on arrivin
at the Studio.
Miss Cotton lbtened with a very
constructive look in her eyes, aud
when I had finished, observing a sug
gestive moisture in eyes ever ready to
pour forth their floods of despair,
said only this: "Mysteries in that
closet, dear; I'd look in it!"
I was off to obey the bidding of a
divine impulse, but she stopped me
with, "Wait and hear my dream
which was, that your printer Fred,
who sleeps here, is a somnambulist."
At which I was ugain ready to start
for the unknown rcvsteries of that
scene closet, bat she held me fast while
she continued, And I saw him in my
dream floating my "Lily Cross' on the
Charles River near the bridge, the
audacity of him!" I did not atop to
hear more, but calling Fred, requested
him to unlock said closet without dc
Uy. "Why, It's not locked!" he cried,
and dazed and wondering he revealed
to an equally puzzled audience a sight
from which neither scripture nor sci
ence can remove the marvellous.
There stood the 'Lily Cross' iu per
fect safety, deposited upon rugs so as
to prevent the gold of the frame from
marring.
Evidently the work of some motivo
of carelessness, whether conscious or
unconscious.
Fred was questioned. lie admitted
having awakened and fuond himself
in the midst of a silvering process one
night, in the dark, undressed, yet
handling albumen paper most dexter
ously. Our dreams were related, and upon
reflection Frsd remembered finding the
kev to the scene closet under his pillow,
bdf, never of a questioning mind in
matters of more moment, he was not
at all disturbed at finding the key had
wandered from the rack.
Well, the 'Lily Cross' was despatch-
1 tn ovhihiMnn fnvfhwitb. without
taking any impressions; and Fred was j
oblisred to seek other lodgings, as it
was evident that his sleeping acts were
more solicitously effective than his
daily and habitual routine of employ
ment. One wonders by what hypnotic pow
er were the unconcious minds of three
people blooded so as to make a unit of I
discovery. The somnamouusx wno ma ,
thn Turtiire; the artist who saw ner
picture in the hands of the somnambu
list; and I, who saw the cross tymbol
where tha Christ symbol was hidden.
A. Soctuilx-
A Practical Explanation.
Poet's son "Father, what
doei
handicapped' mean?"
Poet "It means ahem in what
connection did you hear it used, my
on? . .
Poef gem "In connection wiffl you
Mr. BroTrnson said you'd never acldev
any lasting fame as a poet becsosoyos
irr handiappsd tf uaturfc
Jsw SUdaV r v-r
rair uarswomea on tne Hndmn.
Many yachtsmen and pleasure seek
ers on the 'orth Elver have noticed
ucse orignt bummer afternoons a six-
w j vuw w au,-
Za ,JlT s 8nowinJ nattering blue
IT , Pe,n5ant nd manned by
young girls all dressed alike in whit
serge gowns, with white fishermen's
"lya nuu uius sailor nandkerchlef9
; fc.nottea under their chins. Sometimes
a young man in a blazer displaying the
same colors has the stroke seat and
occasionally there is a young man or
two in the crew, but though the pres
sure to be admitted to this athletic
coterie on the part of young persons
masculine has occasionally been de
' cllncd the barge skims on its way
I propelled in the best of form by oars
: women. Last Saturday the boat was
around in the Harlem and elicited
much admiration as it spun past the
j club house, under the Third avenue
J bridge and almost down to Hell Gate
and return. The stroke seat was
occupied by a girl with fluffy yellow
hair hanging loose under a snood of
blue velvet ribbon. She had been out
in the air enough since April to be
sunburned, and the smooth coat of
delicate rosy brown over face and
hands was just the rich biscuit tint
: which the true Summer girl regards
I as so swagger this Beason. The girls
J cf the crew were sunburned al30, and
l were, as they sat, blonde and brunette
alternately. Those who passed the
barge close enousrh for observation
reported that iu seats had blue serge
cushions, the shade of the ribbons,
ana that a white canvas cloth was
stretched along its floor. Xo such
aquatic outfit has ever brightened these
waters before, and the slory is that it
belongs to the daughters of a rich
Chicagoan who is summering at In
wood for business reasons and whose
girls with two cousins and one school
friend make up the charming blue and
white crow. New York Letter.
A Wealthy Ghost.
Ghost stories are not commw in
central 2Cew York, but it is asserted
that a place on the north shore f
Oneida Lake is frequented by a ghost.
Years ago, as the story goes, the north
ern shore of Oneida Lake was an In
dian reservation. The land north of
this reservation was owned by a f am-
ilv named Belknap. The elder Bel
. " , . . . ...
knap dreamed that, in a grave in the
Indian cemettr there was a crock con
taining immense treasure, and that he
was to go there with pick and shovel
and turn around three times to secure
the crock. He was so affected by the
dream that he concluded to ferret out
the mystery.
He had no difficulty In finding thr
exact spot indicated in his dream, and
promptly began his labors. He final
ly came in contact with some hard sub-
' stance, whim proved to be the crock,
i Overjoyed at his good fortune, he for-
sat the inlnnctiani of his dream to
crock, when he was stunned by a flash
of lightning. He wm confined to his
! bed several days from the shock
1 he
crock disappeared. Ever since that
time a bri.'hant light has appeared and
reappeared at regular intervals as if
keeping guard over the spot. This
year the light has been more brilliant
than ever before. Although the story
may be untrue, it is certain that a
weird and supernatural light makes its
appearance over an Indian's grave on
the shore of Oneida Lake. It appears
to be a ball of fire about the size of an
orange, and sways in the air about
twenty feet above the ground. Some
people have tried to go near enough to
it to discover its nature, but upon
reaching a certain point it disappears
filled a Battler with Her Tin Fail.
Mrs. Frank Keen, of Chlcheater
ville, had a rather thrilling experience
with a rattlesnake recently, which she
will probably remember Cnrlng the
remainder of her life. She was pick
ing raspberries in her garden when
the suddenly heard a peculiar rattling
noise. She continued her work for a
minute or two, when she again heard
the samo noise nearer by, accompanied
by an ominous hiss, and, glancing
Into the bushes close at hand, she saw
a big rattlesnake already coiled aud
about to spring at her,
Mrs. Keen bad a large tin pall partly
filled with raspberries in her hand, and
without a moment's hesitation she let
the snake have a taste of the berries
and the big pail at the same time. The
pail must have fallen with a terrific
whack on the reptile's head, for when
Mrs. Keen went closer to examine into
the injuries done to her pail, as well as
10 how the snake liked its berry bath,
4he found the head had been nearly
severed from the body. Mrs. Keen
says she feels assured the snake would
not have attacked her if she had kept
a respectable distance from Its quar
ters. The snake measured four feat in
length and had nine rattles.
An Embarrassing Situation.
Here is a little story abjut Whitelaw
' Reid that is going the rounds of the
clubs. There is a saying in ran that
it is not necessary for a great man to
make bonmots, since the wits are sure
to make aud attribute them to him.
Whether this is the case or not, It is
certain that though heretofore the ed
itor of the Tribune has not had the
reputation of a wit, since his appoint
ment as Minister to France, he has
beeen quoted as the author of some of
the most delightfully clever of speeches,
as this, for example: He was intro
duced the other day to a very beauti
ful woman, whose name he did not
catch, but who filled him with admir
ation by her ripe and rosy loveliness.
While they were conversing a lowering-faced
man passed by whom Reid
knew well, but knew nothing to his
credit; who, in fuct, he heutily dislik
ed, and feeling bis presence Jar upon
.minhlHrv of his mood, he exclaim'
ed, in an undiplomatic impulse: "ow
His handsome
there is a man 1 ioatn.
companion flashed her eyes upon him,
and cried, sharply, "But that Is my
husband!" and Reid answered, calmly,
without an instant's pause or the turn
ing of a hair, "And that is why I loath
him.". ,
He Didn't Translats It.
Mistress Nora, what was that gib.
berish that Michael was talking to yon
i .v.. iritnhan lost oveninfi?
Nora (who is sweet on Michael, tt
in 1
tO me VI
liostlert He was wuan w u- -
CUn-nael, mum, aji' aorra wora can lt only a Uttl, beloW toro. ncrr
I ten ye, for himself dldn t sP"" .Trmutweiler estimates the average tern
the translation uvit X90tym suture of the underground railway
Possible Journeys.
To raris by way of Siberia will
dorbtless be an approved route of
. nvwUce, ee uu
' travel by-and-by. People who dislike
: ocean travel, and who have been in the
habit of saying that they will go to
Europe "when the ocean is bridged
i ver," will find it bridged for all pra -tical
purposes when the proposed Si
berian railroad coniects, by way ol
Behring's Straits, w.th an Oregon and
Alaska coast railroad. This is looking
forward, but not as far as human eys
can see. for it is quite within the range
of possibilities. The time must come
when our Alaskan riches will tx
brought nearer to the States. Railroad
syndicates will grapple Alaska with
lines of steel, and the way to Siberia
and thence to central Europe will be
come an easy one. The Siberian rail
roa i is of course to be built by tha
Russian Government. Whatever ideas
of self-aggrandizement or added power
the natl u has in the plan, the process
of the anna will prove such a railroad
'o be a great factor in civilization.
It will stretch over vaat tracks of
hurrpn 1n1 t t. tmm fmf tTtrlll Hr?n
tha Artlln forrinna InM .Utap r.lattrtn.
. 11 il n 1 H tr tha irriKrt-W lrnrtwlorlrra
of province with province. It seems
a tremendous undertaking now, one
worthy of a great Government, but It
la not improbable, that the ral.road
syndicate will follow the work of the
first great Government road, as in our
own country. The first railroad across
America needed Federal moneys and
received them, but the eage ness with! Jnehcr very gentlv, said that doubt
which private enterprise entered into 'e' V"e B'ons were not to be
the building of new lines acrosa this ac"Tised. As yet, however, the de
continent need scarcel be mentioned slCns of heaven were but imperfectly
in Boston, where faith In the luture of
one great line is now caicing the place
temporarily of the dividends of the
last.
The Siberian road will be a long on
a third longer than the longest con
necting linea by which Bostouiana go
0 it to San Diego. It will be interest
ing to trace iu rontc wl en 'he plans
come; doubtless th y will have much
of instruction for those best instructed
bout Siberia.
There wore few pleasant revelations
in Mr. George Ken nan's lectures, but
one thing which many people remem
ber with pieasur; is the startling
novcltv of phrase in his reference to
rh n fiAi-no sihoHan t,,nl.!i.A ct th
South. The time may come when
people will go in a week's time on
tra ns drawn by el.'ctric moters to fiud
a winter refuge in sunny Siberia.
Story of 3Irs. Con. Knox.
TJie wife of General Henry Knox
was a brilliant woman hi socic;y, much
admired and defend to by General
and Mrs. Washington, but a person of a
very haughty a. d worldlv tempei-J
VI10a her hu-bai'd resigned his olHce")
a Secretary of War un .er Washing on, j
tie removed to lliomaston, M.0 , where
he had acquired an extensive property,
and where he now proceeded to build a
mansion at a co?t of (ifty thousand
dol'ars. The general himself was of a
social deposition, and not above ming
ling with the poore-t of his worthy
neighbors; but his wife made no visits
sndexchanged no civilities. As the
historian says, she used to ride out in
her coach, the only one in the neigh
borhood, bnt alwavs returned heme
without alighting, "Like Xoah's dove "
The ill-aoried couple had one son,
whom the mother petted and spoiled.
At one time sho was visiting at a house
In Massachusetts, and the little boy
amused himself by disarranging every
thing in the room, especially the books.
His mother, in answer to a look of re
monstrance from the mistrest cf the
house, simply remarked: "Oh, Henry
uiustn't be restrained ; wo never thin c
of crossing blm in anvihing." "But I
can not have my books apoi'cd," said .
the lady, "as my husband is not s
bookbinder." This reference to the '
early occupation of General Knox was j
10 distasteful to Mrs. Knox that she
took an immediate aud unceremonious
Uave.
L?on it Large In a Circus Arena.
Xew Circus business Is always a
difficult subject to deal with, but when
the novelty announced takes the shape
of lions, the task must perforce be
difficult.
The show presented by a Mr. Dar
ling in Paris is absolutely new both in
conception and detail. Hitherto
performances of the kind had been e i-
acted under cover of a cage, but Dar-!
Unir allows his monster cats to disport I
themselves and roam at hv-ge over the !
noomn. or,m nf tha -ir-n I
The authorities of Paris were at the
outset unwilling to grant permission,
bnt after witnessing the rehearsaii
wcro bound to admit that every neces
sary precaution had beoa taken by th:
management to protect the audience
f, omany possible fit of fury on the
tart of their feline entertainers-
.Darling makes his lions, four In
number, walk in procession, l.e down
at command, ride tr cyclf, and pose
in positions the mast trying. Mean
while his big Bavarian boar hound
ininps backwards and forwards over
die artistic arrangements composed by
ie kilful tamer, who completes his
xiumph bv liarncsing three of these
"Kings of Ecats" to a Roman ohariot,
11 making them rush him round the
arena at a gallop several times and
anally carry bim off la right regal
fahkn.
Ssvel Mountain Railroad.
Heir Trautweiler, the author of the
.Jea of building a railway to the sum
mit of the Jungfrau in Switz rland,
has published a brief account of his
iciieme in auswer to the objections and
-riticisms. The railway . would go
from the valley below to the summit,
and would be almost entirely under
ground. There would bo several in
termediate stations, from which con
venient, well-arranged tunnels would
lead to points 011 the mountain whence
the best views are to Le had. Should
stormy weather co.ne on, the passen
gers could withdraw into the shelter
of those tunnelJ. The railway w 11 be
lighted by electricity, so that it may
be used by night as well as by day,
and in all weathers. The Journey
from end to end w.ll occupy about two
hours. Objections had beeu made on
account of the extreme cold.
But the mean temperature of the ail
at tha mimmit ia onlv from lOdez. to
ude&- centigrade below tero; in the
.1.. tamnanlnni nf thS
.urnmer the mean temperature
j tt about 87 l-2deg. Fahrenheit The
I difference of atmospheric pressure be
tween the valley and the summit is
about a third of an atmosphere, and
passengers wi.ll become gradually ac
customed to the change during the two
hours' Journey. All precautions can
easily be taken to secure proper venti
lation, and to protect the rolling-stock,
fcc, from being frozen duriug the
muter.
f m ' '
The Bishop's Wit Saved Him.
A story showing the shrewdness and
ready wit of the Scotchman is told of
a well known Scotch bishop who was
content to pass his life in single bless
edness. While he held a certain sea
be was, of course, an object ot consid
erable interest to the unmarried ladies
of tue neighborhood. One day he re
ceived a. visit from one of them, who
had reached the ege of desperation.
Her manner was solemn, thonh some
what embarrsased. The g'-od bishop
spoke with hia usual kindness, and en
couraged her to be communicative. By
and by he drew from her that she had
had a very strange dream, or rather,
' S.S Sue
thought, a revelation front
t hC? Yen
Un farther questioning she ernf essed
that it had been intimated to bcr that
she was to be united in marriage to
the bishop. One may imagine what a
start that gave to the quiet scholar,
who ha 1 long before married his books
and never thought of any other bride.
Ho recovered, however, and, address-
, explained, as they had been revealed
totmly one of he parties. He would
wait to see if any similar communica
tion should be made to himself, and
when it happened ho would be sure to
let her know.
Ir Xostcians of Boyal Blood.
-A correspondent furnishes the fol
lowing catalogue of living musicians
of royal blooj: In Engiand, Queen
Victoria and the Princess Louise play
the pianoforte and organ, the Prince
of Wales the banjo and the princes
the pianoforte; the Duke of Con
n tught is counted a fine flute layer,
atyd tne Duke or Jbdmburgii an ac-
complished violinist. The favorite in-
strument of the czar is a silver cornet
The queen of Italy is well-known as a
cCcver pianist. The empress of Aus
tria charms by her playing of the flute
The empress of Japan plays the
national Japanese i-strument the koto
a zither of la-ge dimen 10ns.
f The queen of Ko imaniais a mistress
cf the harp and the pianoforte. The
King of Greece plays with an astonisu
i;r virtuosity all possiblo melodies
vlth castaicts and on wine irlasses:
v.th a similar cleverness be plays the
I.i'iisrarian cimbalums, which art is
Sr-Uii;;; teamed wlso-by-the crown
MJncess Sophia of Grerce, under the
instruction of two Hungarian vir
tuosos. Prince Henry of Prussia Is
known as a composer for and player
on the violin aud pianoforte. It is
clear that their majesties and rovnl
highnesses do not agree with any Lord
Chesterfield, who recommended his
son, that model of virtue I to hire his
fiddling.
A Difference, Alas!
Our am lab e and learned visitor,
lIUs Edwards, does not speak of the
condition and discomforts of New
York so severely as our own citizens.
"There are so many dangers," she
says, "that the state of the highways,
is such, as 'o make it incomprehcn-I-l
lo to English people that enterprhin
Americans would long endure It."
The diuerence lies in temperament.
John Bull is a resolute growler and
grumbler, and Uncle Sam is go:d-na-turcd.
It used to be said that the thir
teenth man in every omnibus in Lon
con was indignantly reported in the
next morning's Times. But in Xew
York all the passengers would stand
from the Battery to Central Park with
out a murmur. Harper's Weekly.
A Contrast.
irof. Richard T. Ely, of Johna
Hopkins University, says: "From
the time I landed in Liverpool until
I left Queenstown for America,
I paid particular attention to
ji 1 itreet-cara, or tramways, as the
Europeans can mem. in every
eity, without an except.on, I noticed
frooved rails, laid flush with the pavc-
ments, so that other vehicles could pass
freely back and forth. Everywhere I
eeiy hack ana lorth. tverywhere
lioticod also that the payment of a
itreet-cnr fare entitled the payer to a
eat. There is not a sing e city in the
United States strong enough to compel
street-car corporations to recognizo
these rights."
A Well-paid Play Writer.
All so ts of fabulous sums h-.ve
been stated aa Bronson Howard's in
come from " Shenandoah," but it is
generally understood to b; about two
thousand five hundred dollars a mouth
at present. This, with from three 'o
five hundred more from The Henri
etta," and odd trifles from his half
dozen other popular plays, ought to
pat heart in the aspiring American
dramatist. But Mr. Howard has
served a long and arduoua apprentice
ship. The Falcon," he aolemnlv drawled,
'la the house that Jagg built." Buf
falo Courier.
Only elahtf en per cent, of th total
papulation of Portugal can read or
write.
Maine represents legally a general pr
lis. The auta has alatv proaibitm maa
Iran marrying hia mother-in-law,
Cuba wants Independence. Tha little
laknd ought to bars 1L It has been tha
dependant of old Spain long enough.
Puck has noticed thn Mtha maa who la
aura ba oaa't be wrong is always the very
ona to find that It la lu. loipaaiibla whiof
happen.
Xhe women of Mtlford, Me, have pre
seated to tae towrn ball wblcU they paid
for themselves by giving euteruinmeats
and fairs.
Chicago Is trylna to develop aa art aide
to life. Verstcbdgia's picture are now OA
exUitwtioa la that eiiy. Hot many go w
aeo thttin.
Xhara has bean aa extraordinary epidein,
lo of aulcldea ia the trermaa army of lata.
In one month ta.av-aitcat oilcers anot
tuemselraa.
Toe condition of a eonala eat la Lomolas,
Me., ia lltwauy at sfc:e and seven, bus
baa seven toes oa bar bind feet a&4 el
tenia, .. . .
A. Millardlsl-i Ilablts.
T called upon George F. Slosson.
who ia the champion of tie billiard
world, if there be such a thing aa
champion of that fascinating past mo,
and asked him what were the conditions
necessary to be observed to become a
grrat expert. Ho stated in reply to
my questions as follows :
"There is a prevalent belief that
great tenors and famous sopranos are
the most sensi ive souls in the world
and require the laigest amount of care.
There ia another profession, my own,
which requires as much care of the
body, if not more than tiat of vocal
music. Bihiards, since it has passed
from a mere pastime to a science, de
mands the finest condition of the body,
and especially the nervous system, if a
player ever propo es to become an ex
pe: t or a champion. It is very hard to
define what I mean by condition.
Every good player recognizes and ap
pieci ites and alludes to it as being ia
good or bad form, as the case may be.
The gene al public, and especially those
who have n?ver played the game, can
not realize the extent to which good
play djpends npon the physical organi
sation. "A few ill ustra' ions may give an
idea of this dependence. In making
a run every expert calculates exactly
whe e the balls will be after a ahot ia
made. No man is an expert unless he
can predict it to within an inch. Cham
pion players can come within a sixty
fourth of an inch upon a simple car
rom. This seems wonderful, but it
falls short of a feat that has been fre
quently performed by two American
experts and one French expert. The
three bails are placed in the form of a
triangle an inch apart in a circle five
inches in diameter. The object ball is
struck with force sufficient to send it
around the table, striking the cushion
fire times and stopping in the circle in
its original position. The cue ball
after driving off the object ball in this
manner passes to the third ball with
just enough force to touch it without
either of the two passing beyond th
rin .
The aeetrncy and force required to do
this may be calculated fiom the fact
that the object ball goes over a coarse
of about twenty-seven feet in length,
and that a variation of less than a hair's
breadth and a difference in force of
one-half of one : cr cent, would send
it anywhere save to the right place.
To attain to ihls pewer ihe nerves
and muscles must be under perfect
control and en rapport with the eye
and brain. The slightest interference
or sickness will cuange all this and
prevnt first-class work. In my own
cae tobacco and alcohol would rtterly
spoil my playing. Further than that,
nervousness, i"diges ion or even a
s light c. Id produces a perceptible fail
ing off in my accuracy aud skill.
The Bishop and the Ltjbtniny Conductor
" An- Euglith. bishop was., home ward
bound from the United States, travel
ling Inxuriouslv in a double cabin with
Mi s. Bishop. It was a very hot night,
thunder in ths air, ani tho Atlantic
liner slipped through the water, tie
cabin being lit up with th lightning
flashes. Mrs. Bishop could not sleep
tor the heat. Uisliop, appealed to,
lumbered out of his berth and opened
the port-hole. Suddeuly there bobbed
in through the port-hole a wo-den ball
attached to a string. Bishop waa per
plexed, but Le tied It up, celling the
strin? by a nail in the wall, and then
retired to rest. The ball was an apple
of discord In that peiceful cabin,, for
it hit against the aide of the vessel as
she Imvhcd, and Mra. Bishop grew
querulous and disturbed. Up started
the poor bishop again, and to end mat
ters he uncoiled the cord, and pat the
bail nnder his pillow. There waa a
heavy thundcr-st rm, but the bishop
slept soundly taat night. Next morn
ing at breakfast, the captain presiding,
h? told the tale with a good deal of
p scopal solemnity and detail. The
captain laughed immoderately. Bishop
laughed, too, thinking his story a good
0'ie. Then the captain told him that
the ba'l was the cud of the lightning,
conductor.
Earnum and the "LoTtngCup."
That typical representative of Yan
kee "grit," Mr. P. T. Barnom, the
venerable but vigorous ahowman, has
been interviewed by a Lon ion re
porter in good American f aahlon. His
views are spicy and shrewd; perhaps
the most interesting are those on the
causes which have contributed to his
own health and on Eng ish social cus
toms. "I cannot go out to a tenth of
the places where 1 am Invited," ho
says, with a pardonable reference to
his success in London society, and he
continues:
Your English honrs are too late f ot
me, for one thing. Fashionable din
ners begin at 8;S0. "I cannot eat a
heavy meal at that time of night. You
are kind enough to say that I look
"full of sap" still. So I am, but it is
the result of an abstemious life. For
thirty years I have not smoked, and
for forty I have not tasted intoxicating
liquor. ' This, as well as the late hours,
make it difficult for me to go out to
dinner.
When I went a few weeks ago to
the Lord Mayor's banquet the loving
eup came round after the eating was
finished. Ttds is an immense chased
silver goblet with two handles and a
tall cover. I side is a highly spiced
and flavored beverage, compounded of
Caret, port and other alcoholic liquors.
I did nut taste it this time, but I have
tasted it in earlier days. It passes
round, and everybody at table drinks
of it out of a small silver beaker. . .'
. . Well, that practice is not a very
nice one, perhaps, but it is a custom
of immemori.d bntiquity, and one is
not obliged to actually drink. He can
put his lips to 'he edge without swal
lowing any of the beverage. That
was what I did. But I did not know'
that critical eyes were watching me.
However, the next day I got a letter
from a man who said: -Mr. Barnum,
you profess to be a teetotaller, but I
law you di iuk of the Lord Mayor's
loving cup." So I rep led that Z
allow no man to be a judge over me;
if I wanted to drink of liquor at any
moment 1 sbou'd do it; but, as a rule,
never take a drop of intoxicant, and
did not do so then.
The Shin ; 5xt
The Shah of Persia is writlnj, ot
dictating, his impressions of his recent
tour through Europe, which, I bear,
are to appear, in the first Instance, ia
the Paris Figaro. .
nra matejmomai. carriage.
I took say darfltrr for a drive.
Just such a eight as pou love;
Xbe stars were twinkling aDd the moea
Shone radiant in the say above.
and, as we In the country drew,
My hsrse instinctively went aiow,
rhe situation taklne tu
('Tie funny how dumb creatures know!)
I anted her tf ahe'd like to drive;
She took the reins my arms were tree,
And one atole lovingly -oh, well.
You know where it waa apt 10 bet
she hrld the reins. I pressed ber waist,
And loving word to her I said :
The old hone almost stopped, aa I
Aaked, finally, if she would wed.
Sh held the reins then listlessly.
But when she answered "Yes," she seemed
To Krasp them closer in her hands;
Then bow the allv'ry, bright moon beamed J
Well, we've been married just a year;
I'd like the single track again ;
for alnoa she took the rein that night,
I've never got them Lack again.
Lawrence American.
FUX.
Mary (practical) A beautiful ring,
my dear; what did you give for it?
Eleanor (poetical) Myaelf. Life.
Miss X. That Italian Connt seems
to lead a rather monotonou life.
Mra. Y. Yes ; I notice he never has
any change. Life.
Businesslike: Young Sprigg "Mr.
Bidquick, I am worth $50,000 and I
love your daughter." Mr. Bidquick
(retired auctioneer) "Sold." Chica
to Tribune.
She Sir, what do you mean by put
ting your arm around my waist7
He Do you object?
She Mr. Arthur Gordon, I'll give
you Just five hours to remove your
inn. Beacon.
Countryman Can I sell you a wagon
load of apples this morning?
Proprietor (in astonishment) No,
sir. This is a cider factory. (Sharply
to clerk) Jacobs, show this man out.
Chicago Tribune.
Dudely I think the term grass
widow is very deceiving.
Friend How so?
Dudely Because they are not green
at all. One of them says ahe ia going
sue me for 510,000.
Sam Johnslng Huh, did you heat
lie parson aay dat whoebber had atole
hia pumpkins would go ter de bad
place?
Jim Webster neah! hcah! ain't 1
glad I didn't steal nuffin but cabbages.
"Oh, Edward, why are yon ao late?
I have been ao frightened."
Edward (who has "taken In" cham
pagne a upper; Tortaut bisnish, in'
dear."
Wouldn't it keep ail to-morrow?"
"No love ; not after oorkah drawn."
L-'fe.
Chicago Girl Oh, auntie, we've Jun
been out abooting at the target. Great
sport, I tell you. Boaton girl Yes,
Indeed ; I fully coincide with Belinda,
although the diversion is somewhat
arduous. I ancceeded in perforating
the bovine optic three times in succes
sion. Kearney Enterprise.
Close Call May Charlie, you must
be- careful and not expose yourself.
You were out in ail that rain last night.
Charlie No, I wasn't. What made
you think so? May Why, papa came
home and said he met you coming
from the lodge, and that you were
thoroughly soaked. Kearney (Neb.)
unterpnse.
Hc Where are you going, my pretty
maid?
She I am going after 19-ccnt rib
bon, 29-cent stockings, S9-cent cash
mere, 49-cent ailka, 69-cent velvet, 69
cent glovca, 79-ccnt hats, 89-cent
ahawla. S9-cent umbrellas, and all tho
other bargains in the paper, sir, she
said. Munsey's Weekly.
First Citizen "What are you doing
out in the rain wiUiout your coat?"
Second Citizen (finding his breath'
"I Just escaped the storm."
First Citizen ' What do you mean?"
Second Citizen "My wife let her
week's washing fall in the mud, and I
got out the front way before tho blow
came." Philadelphia Inquirer.
First Suit 'Where have you
been?"
Second Suit, "Laid up."
Friend What are vou doing all da
In the Cooper Union Library?
Newspaper Humorist You ce, one
f my Jokes has been published in a
New York paper and I am watching
the people reading the papers to see if
lomebody don't laugh over it. A f'
iow almost giggled yesterday.
Paris to the Sea, By Wate..
A report has recently beon made by
he Commission of Engineers ip-
polnted to consider the plan for con
necting tho city of Fari with the sea
by a ship canal. Tho leport Is strong
ly In favor of the work, and says that
the engineering difficulties to bo en
countered are not great, while tho ad
vantages to be obtained will fully
warrant the expenditure require' I,
whic'l Is estimated at (40,000,000.
She canal would be 112 miles long,
and would have a depth of iO.ii. Iu
rh- material excavated could. U is
laid, be advantageously used In raid
ing the levels of the lo vlauua adjoining
Lisa lower Seine.
The "Mountains of the Moon."
A capital idea of the sncwy range of
Ruwenzori, Africa, of which we
have recently beard ao mnch, ia g.vcn
in the Hlustratod London News, from
a drawing by Lieutenant Stairs, who
made an ascent to nearly 11,000ft. In
the foreground are aeen the tropical
vegetation, tin nativea clad only in
the aable skins and loin cloths, the ex
plorers with their sum-hading belmeta
and other eufficient iudicationa of tho
climate prevailing one degree north of
the Equator, while near the heavens,
in sharp contrast to this sce-e aud the
dark monntain mass that immediately
overhangs the fertie valley, are abown
the imposing anowy range, rising to
sharp summits 2,000 feet above the
snow-line. The total height of the
mountains thus brilliantly mantled and
capped with snow in equatorial re
gions is nearly 18.000 feet.
Two thousand two hundred tra'ns
leave Loodon ordinarily every twenty
four hours.
NEWS IN BUTE?.
Snzar wa unknown to the ancient
Greek and Romans
I StTeter's Church at Rote, Italf
has a seating capac.tiy cf 64,000.
I Fowls have undoubtedly a large r
cabulury than auy of the other Uomestio
animals.
j E. M. Bond of Netf Tork City, has
, lived in one hotelthe Fifth Avenue-
tor thirly-ona years.
In the middle ags the lower
aaimalswt-re frequently tried, convicted
aud puuLshed tor various offenses.
The ruby is much rarer than dia
mond, ani about as costly, the price
rangiug from S13 a carai ti $10X.
Two soft-shelled ejs connectel by
a llzament of the simi material as the
ahe.ll were laid Ly a hen in Paw Paw.
Mich.
A youmr man walked in his sleep
recently at Slateville, Ga.. and when he
awoke he f uml himself at a grindstone
sharpening his kn.fe.
Allot Emreror William's TTohenzol
lera ancestors born since 17C2, as weU
as him-elf, his brothers ami sisters have
been rocked in the sane cradle.
"Old Sacriment-." the cannon
taken acrosa the plains by General Fre
mont iu his first exi-dilion. Is an object
of interest at the Kansas State Capitol.
In a contest between cowboys at
San Aniontj, Texas, a nan named
Capes hi eke the wo: id's record by lasso
ing a wild steer in 43 1-2 seconds.
The highest price? ever paid for a
1 00k, it i aaiJ, was $J ',000, It was
for a vellum mlasal wiiich was pre
sented to K ng Ueury VI U, uy Pope
Leo X.
It has been calculated that it would
be possible to take from a section of the
the River Negro lakes, occupyla about
nine squue league, upwatd of two
million? of tons of .-alt.
Dainit white feathered ptarmigans'
feet decorated with jepli and silver,
for scarf-pius, and purp'e tufts of heath
fr are amen? the pretty souvenirs
UourUts b.iug from Scotland.
The use of India rubber for erasing
pencil ma- ks wa first sugge-ted In or
just prior to 1752 by an academician
nan e l Magellan, adescen Jaiit of the
great navigator.
Bees stored over one hundred
pounds of honey under the eaves ot a
church in Hartford, Conn , lust sum
mer. The luscious bonanza was removed
neatly by a steeple climber.
Swifts and swallows Cy every year
from Etialaud lo southern Africa and to
the Moluccas, and the, res lej-, wander
ing ti g hi or various oceanic buds ii still
more surprising.
G. A. Blixlwonarecordin Minneapolis-
Minu., on October, 23. lStJ3. by
put Li 111; in 4320 runes of clnss n seven
hours, aud thirty-one iiniiut, aud
twenty seconds, excuUuve ot stoppages.
' Speaker T!ceT in a-double In at
Wusbi-ifitoti photograph, whose striking
resemblance to the uw Man fiom
Maine has beeu tiecaus) of several
singula' Ulumders ou the part of Cou
grasstnen. Coffee is a good barometer. Always
a the eve of a rainstorm it Is very bard
to grind, but when thrie is a suie pro
spect of dry weather it grin Is ea-ily.
This is because coffee la a firstchtss
absorbent.
I The lasteH fact, brought to light re
! icarling Nero, the infamous Emperor
oflt.uie, is that ho word a mouocie.
It is stated that the tyrant was never
without his eyeglassea when watching
the KhiJiatorUI gam.-s.
Tho Sultan of Sokoto. who rules
over 12.' 0J subjects iu West Africa,
has presented Q iecn Vicioritt with an
i-Iegaut lion. The nnin al has arrived
at Liverpool, r.ml w.ll probably be
taken care of at the Zoo.
With the aid of gn-rrlno and pepsin
W. S. Wiilcult, of New 1'crk City, ate
Iwo q tai s it ihiy bitwee.i eve a .d six
P. 31., for thirtv consecuiiv ?as, en 1
na his astounding feat ou February 8.
lSe-3.
The tleer 1-t furnlsnrd with stipple
mentaiy breathing places in addition to
the nostril, and Litis v onld appear to
be an extraordinary provi ion of nature,
giving the beast ot tl.o tba.se a freer re
epirat.oiu The prpiim.Vic line between New
York und Philadelphia, is now consid
ered aa iissuie.l f,;ct. It is exacted
that it will trau pott large packages
between the two citiio iu less than
twenty minlues.
Two Ladles or Santa Clara ars
iven the crf-ilitof putting up some of
tho haml.ioiuest package of c.iDned rruit
i:i the Cal foniia ma: kef. 'i'heir ranou
comprises 20 ) acie, planted to fruits
or the choicest var.eties, Tuey em
ploy only women.
England wants privilrces for her
!f in extradition tieaUea she Is never
willing to nccoi'l to titl.er countries
She will insist upon te ucl.ts (if as
ylum wiiiiin l.cr ov.n Loi'ii-rs for dis
tnrlif-r cf the p w ind d.s.'ites having
her bubit intei rinlt-id.
The euorni'ji'.s apiet!to of the giant
nguin (whicli wei.'ns uhout eight
K.:lind) luav have toiartlil;:;; to do with
its reiii icti-d rvv.vr-i sf High:, andin the
Bloi:i;ici of tl.e-o lioSj fmird .en pounds
of qnfcrtt, gta.il'e, arid trup fragment,
BwaiiueJ n-or- likely tc promote diges
tion. Upon one orcHsiona Mcon was ob
served to cut a siiiiMr riyht la two, with
a Teiigth and :iop.I did it ut down
lis prey, -prrro hawks and merlins
have tiot Jnfn qiiMiliy hern known to
r.raoh through t.-.ick pl.tt-'glass windows
win n iu p-rsu.t ot prey or at caged
bird.
Probably the oldest Louse fn the
United btates is a decavhig st-xie dwelU
lug tint stands !u Guiif jul, Coun. It
was built in 1GJ J and is s'Jll occup'ed.
In Colonial times It did duty occaaiou
idiy ai tort aud was b placo cf refuste
for settlers when King rhillp was ou tha
war-path.
The Misses Kelly, of West Fifty
second Street, own and initiate a prve
erous black-smith ac-.l hursfatiueiug
ahop. Ou the death of tholr father, who
owsed it, the cl-ii'Ht daughter took charge
of aitu'.rs, iiig:g--: tho oesc wrkuion,
oad gradually c'S.ial'osh'vl a rormtatiua
for good work, reasonable prices, and
prompt account, which gives her auoh
1 atronngu im that cf llol-.crt Bonner,
the l'ucketellcra, aud other owner ot
valuable hcrsos. Kiio is hi-.r u a l"k
keepcr and ui.inut,vr, itr.d nlrbnugh a
busy und aui-cesi'ul biis,n woman,
finds time for book aud tuiia'c.
Tux tne student U mjver n'raid or
rshnmed to a:y, '1 tl-. n't know." The
10 1 would sooner giic-os :.t ic iid
it than to aeiuMwledge ignorance.
(